The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-06-24

Mr. Caruus mad fed with the rest but as
soon as he got outside the swing door his
common sense reasserted itself, and he
stopped.
"Come, come" he called to the others,
"don't he so silly; you are not going TO run
away from dead woman's head, are your
"You ran too" said Dorothy, pulling up
and gasping.
"Yes, know did; those eyes startled me;
but, of course, they are glass l am going
back; 1t is a great curiosity"
at is an accursed thing,n muttered Do
rothy
Mr.. Cardus turned and re-entered the room,
and the Others comforting themselves with
the reflection that II was broad daylight and
drawn by their devouring curiosity followed
him. That is they all followed him except
Glice, who was i'll for two days nfterward
As for Sampson and the groom who had seen
the sight through the window, they ran for
a milo two along the cliff before they
stopped.
When they got back into the room, they
found old Atterleigh still standing and star
ing at the crystal eyes, that seemed to I've re-
turning his gaze with compound interest,
while Florence was there with the long linen
wrapper in her hand, gazing down at the
beautiful hair that flowed from the head onto
the oak box from the boz TO the table, and
from the table nearly TO the ground. 1t was,
oddly enough, of the same color and texture
as her own. She had taken off her hat when
she began to undo the wrappings, and they
all noticed the fact. Nor did the resemblance
stop there. The sharp fine features Of the
mummied head were very like Florence's; so
were the beautiful teeth and the fixed, hard
smile. The dead face was more lovely, in
deed but otherwise the woman OF the Saxon
era.-for, to judge from the rude tiara on her
brow, it was probable that she was Saxon
and the living girl of the Nineteenth century
might have been sisters, or mother and
daughter. The resemblance startled them all
as they entered the room, and they said moth
ing.
They drew near and gazed again without
a word Dorothy was the first to break the
silence.
II think she must have been a WITCH she
said ~ hope that you will have it thrown
away, Reginald, for she will bring us bad
luck. The place where she was buried has
been unlucky; 1t was u great abbey ence
now II is a deserted ruin When we tried to
get the up we were all very nearly killed.
She will bring us bad luck. l am sure of it,
Throw it away, Reginald, throw her into the
sea. Look, she is just like Florence there"
Florence had smiled at Dorothys words,
and the resemblance became more striking
than ever. Eva shuddered as she noticed it.
"Nonsense Dorothy |" said Mr.. Cardus, who
was a bit OF an antiquarian, and now had for
gotten his start in his collectors ZEAL "it is a
splendid find. But forget" he added in a
tone of disappointment "it does not belong to
me, it belongs to Miss Ceswick."
"Oh, am sure you are welcome to it so
far as am concerned" :" SAID Eva hastily II
would not have it near me on any account"
"Oh, very well. / am much obliged 70 you.
I shall value the relic very much"
Florence had meanwhile moved round the
table and was gazing earnestly into the crys-
tai eyes.
"What are you doing, Florencer asked
Ernest sharply, for the scene was uncanny
and Jared upon him.
"Il' she answered with little laugh. II am
seeking an inspiration. That face looks wise,
1t may teach me something. Besides, it is SO
like my own, think she must be some far
distant ancestress"
$50 she has noticed it, too, !" thought Ernest.
"Put her bach in the box, jeremy said
Mr. Cardus. ~ must havo an air tight casa
made"
II can do that" said Jeremy, "by lining the
old one with lead and putting glass front to
it."
Jeremy sat about putting the head away,
touching it very gingerly. When he had got
it back into the oak case he busted it and
placed it upon bracket that jutted from the
oak paneling at the end Of the room.
"Well," said Florence, 'now that you have
put your guardian angel on her PEDESTAL
think that we must be going home. viii any
of you walk little way with us3"
Dorothy said that they would all come that
i e.. La. l.
to his Office Accordingly they started, and
as they did so, Florence intimated to Ernest
that she wished to speak to him He was
alarmed and disappointed, for he was afraid
| of Florence, and wished to walk with Eva,
| and presumably his face betrayed what was
in his mind to her.
"Do not be frightened" she said, with q
| slight smile;I am not going to say any
| thing disagreeable."
OF course he replied that he knew that she
never could say anything disagreeable at any
time, at which she smiled again the same
faint smile, and they dropped behind.
| "Ernest," she said presently, II Aant to
speak to you. You remember what hap
pened between us two evenings ago on this
very beachr for they were walking home by
| the beach.
| "Yes, Florence, remember, ;" answered Err
nest.
| "Well Ernest, the words have to say are
hard for womans lips, but must say
them. l made a mistake, Ernest, in telling
| you that loved you as l did, and in talking
| all the wild nonsense that | talked
| don't know what made me do it, some fool
| ish impulse, no doubt. Women are very
| curious, you know, Ernest, and think / am
| more curious than most. l suppose l thought
| loved you, Erncst--I know | thought il
when you kissed me; but last night, when l
saw you at the Smythes dance, knew that
1t was all a mistake, and that l cared for you
| no moro than you cared for me, Ernest
| Do you understand mef
He did not understand her In the least, but
he nodded his head, feeling vaguely that
things We're turning out very well for him.
"That is right; and SO here, in the same
| place where | said them, | renounce them.
| We will forget all that foolish scene Ernest.
/ made Il lttlc mistake when told you that
my heart was as deep as tho sea; find that
it is shallow as II brook. But will you an
swer me ono question, Ernest, before we
| close this conversational
| "Yes, Florence, if cam
| "Well, when you--you kissed me the other
night, you did not really mean it, did you
l mean you only did so for freak, or from
the impulse or the moment, not because YOU
loved mei Don't he afraid TO tell me, be-
cause if it was so, shall not he angry; you
see you have so much to forgive me for.
am breaking faith, am l notin and she
looked him straight in the face with heI
piercing eyes,
Ernests glance fell under that searching
gaze, and the lie that men are apt to think Il
no shame TO use where women are concerned
rose TO his lips, But he could not get it out
he could not bring himself to say that be die
love her-so he compromised matters
81 think you were more in earnest than
was, Florence"
She laughed, a cold, little laugh, that some
how made his flesh creep.
"Thank you for being candid; it make
matters so much easier, does il notl But d
you know, suspected as much when wa
standing there by that head to-day, Just a
the time that you took Eva's hand.p
Ernest started visibly. "Why, your bac
was turned" he said.
"Yes, but | saw what you did reflected i
the crystal eyes. Well, do you know, as
stood there, it seemed TO me as though coul
consider the whole matter as dispassionatel
and with clear a brain as though ha
been that dead woman All of a sudden
grew wise. But there are the Others watin
for us"
"We shall part friends, hope, Florence
said Ernest, anNiously
"Oh, yes, Ernest, a woman always follow
the career Of her old admirer with the dee,
est interest and for about FIVE seconds yC
/ Nunn HaN 1nntp Ksrla l.